Apparatus for the projection of liquids



Feb. 26, 1963 v. ANSELMl 3,

APPARATUS FOR THE PROJECTION 0F LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- j/VVENTOR.

M g W$W O m Feb. 26, 1963 v. ANSELMI 3,079,091

APPARATUS FOR THE PROJECTION OF LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 50, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 my. a

INVENTOR. VT Q w M SSW/W t res This invention is concerned with an apparatus for obraining a uniform projection of liquids in the form of drops having considerable kinetic energy, for example within spaces of conical or hemispherical shape.

The apparatus of the present invention is proposed with the purpose of avoiding projection through one or more nozzles, which have the disadvantage of requiring continuous displacement in order to distribute the projected liquid, because they only allow such distribution in the form of a restricted conical stream, thus evidently creating some zones that receive much liquid and some that receive little or none. Thus an irregular distribution is obtained by means of nozzles. Therefore, nozzles cannot be used when it is desired to treat spaces or surfaces that have to be submitted to a quite uniform irrigation by one or more liquids projected with a considerable kinetic energy.

The apparatus of this invention comprises a first means of projecting the liquid by a wheel provided with blades rotating just at the level of the liquid mass, whereby, in each single rotation, a small portion of liquid is drawn and projected with a considerable kinetic energy outwardly, thus forming a ring of determined width coaxial with the wheel and at an angle depending on the orientation of the moving parts and the speed of rotation, the projected ring being formed so as to enclose within its central portion a conical void, and a second means of projection of the liquid, by means of jets issuing from holes against the blades of a said second bladed wheel so that the liquid forms a cone that fills the aforesaid void.

The apparatus of the present invention may be used separately, with either the first or the second means of projection on its own, according to the use for which the liquid is required, thus enabling very different applications.

Thus by using both means of projections in united combination, the apparatus may be used in automatic dish washing machines, in which it is necessary to obtain a uniform and powerful projection of the washing liquids in a spherical region, which is impossible to obtain with the rotating jets or nozzles that tend only to reach some zones, thus rendering the washing action inefficient.

The first means of projection can be used on its own as an irrigation device producing artificial rain in the form of a ring at a wide bias angle, thus ensuring the uniform irrigation of a very large circular band of ground.

The second means of projection can be used on its own for feeding a liquid fuel burner in boilers or the like plants, thus improving the thermal output of the plant, due to the more distant and uniform dispersion of the liquid fuel as compared with known apparatus of this kind, and favouring the extension and efficiency of the flame.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the attached illustrative drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section of the apparatus, and

FIG. 2 shows in diagrammatical representation its mode of operating.

As shown in the drawings, more precisely in FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a wheel 1 provided with four blades 2 of helical shape, symmetrically disposed about a central core 3. This wheel is keyed on shaft 4 of an electric motor 5, the shaft being extended upwards, and provided at its upper end with a threaded portion for receiving a fastening nut 6 for fixing wheel 1. A bushing 7,

which rotates with and encloses shaft 4, extends to the inner portion of core 3 of wheel 1. Bushing 7 leans with its lower face upon the face 8 of a centrifugal wheel that is also keyed on shaft 4, within a chamber 10, the centre portion of which contains a large opening lll, while the lateral portion communicates with small hollow uprights 12, diametrically opposed to one another in respect of the axis of shaft 4, the uprights having holes 13 that are directed towards the blades 2 of the helically shaped bladed wheel 1. The orientation of holes 13 is such that they are directed towards the blades 2 as they draw near during the rotation of the wheel 1. The holes 13 may be provided with controlling nozzles, not shown, with the purpose of varying the quantity of liquid to be projected.

Chamber illis closed at its lower face, and is composed of elements that are adapted to conceal a metal sheet 14 that constitutes the bottom of a container in the centre of which the bladed wheel 1 is disposed.

The lower portion of the container contains the liquid 15, which reaches such a level that the lower borders 16 of the blades of wheel 1 penetrate for a few millimeters into the liquid 15. Due to this, when the Wheel 1 is rotated, the blades 2, on each rotation, draw a certain quantity of liquid and project it tangentially to the path escribed bythe blades. Thus, the rotation of said blades causes the liquid to describe a solid of revolution in the form of. an annulus.

Experience has shown that the projection of liquid leaves a ring-shaped space that forms the aforesaid central conical void. The result is similar to what would be obtained by totally submerging the bladed wheel in the liquid and rotatin it at great speed.

The action exerted by each blade 2 at the free level of the liquid is represented in FIG. 2. Supposing one of these blades 2 in rotating movement, and indicating by N the line perpendicular to the blade at the point of incidence A in respect of the free level of the liquid, and byl that level, there will be created, due to the shock onto the blade, a force of reaction R in a direction such that angle 4NAR will be equal to the angle ZIAN, whilst the projection of the liquid due to the shock of the blade 2 on the free surface of the liquid will cover uniformly the whole angle 4IAR. Of course, as the wheel rotates, the angle AIAR describes an annular solid of revolution that is limited at the centre portion by a conical void space, into which annular solid of revolution the liquid is uniformly projected with a considerable kinetic energy.

The rotation of the centrifugal wheel 9 provides suction to enable the liquid to pass through the central hole 11; the liquid is then compressed within the small uprights l2 and is discharged through the holes 13 thus precipitating in a jet of continuous liquid onto the blades 2 where the intervening shock breaks the jets, thus uniformly projecting the liquid upon an angle of aperture that is readily determined. So, indicating by L the direction of one of the filaments of the jet, and by N the normal line starting from one of the points B of incidence, the angle of incidence will be ALBN so that the projection of the liquid will take place in the angle LN BR where R and L make the same angle with N Now, taking into consideration all elements of the jet, there will be obtained a uniform projection of the liquid within angle gN BR Thus, the rotation of the wheel fills a cone, and by suitably arranging the blades and thus directing the jets, this cone can be arranged to fill the annulus of revolution of the angle LIAR.

As has already been explained above, the two means of projection are such as to ensure uniform projection of the liquid into the space, although the last has a hemispherical shape. Such projection may take place (see FIG. 2) with a container 17 having a cap 18, the last being considered as a cover piece for the receptacle containing in its lower portion the liquid 15 to be projected. This receptacle may be for example the casing of a dish washing machine, and is disposed in the configuration of a spherical cap, thus ensuring that the jets of liquids will uniformly reach, with the necessary kinetic energy, all the exposed portions of the dishes or any other article to be Washed.

The use of the rotating wheel on its own, without the holes 13, allows the use of the apparatus of the present invention in other applications, for example, to irrigation with artificial rain of a large surface of ground or the like around the apparatus.

Further, the holes 13 with the rotating wheel can be used for feeding liquid fuel burners, since the liquid fuel will be submitted to a more efiicient projection within the tire-place of the boiler or the like, due to the fact that a more wide and deep distribution and division of the liquid fuel are ensured. Thus a more expanded and efiicient flame is obtained, which indicates a higher thermal output of the plant. For this application there will be no liquid at 15 andthe centrifugal bladed wheel 9 will be fed from an appropriate container of'liquid.

The apparatus of, the present invention is furthermore capable of being controlled at will in order to vary the quantity of liquid projected and its kinetic energy, by operating upon the liquid level, upon the output of the jets or nozzles, and upon the speed of rotation of the wheel 1.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for uniform projection of liquids comprising, in combination, container means adapted to be filled up to a predetermined level with liquid to be projected; a first means of projecting said liquid and being in the form of a rotating wheel provided with a plurality of substantially radially extending blades, the lower edges of which being arranged to dip slightly below the level of liquid in said container means, each of said blades including such an angle with said level of liquid to produce during rotation of the blades an annular space of substantially uniformly and tangentially projected liquid limited by a central substantially conical space void of projected liquid; and a second means of projecting said liquid and including pump means for pumping liquid from said container means and jet producing means operatively connected to said pumping means for directing jets of liquid onto said blades of the rotating wheel at such an angle to cause the jets to scatter in the form of a cone of projected liquid which fills said conical void space.

2. An apparatus for uniform projection of liquids comprising, in combination, container means adapted to be filled up to a predetermined level with liquid to be projected; a first means of projecting said liquid and being inrthe form of a rotating wheel provided with a plurality ofsubstantial-1y radially extending blades, the lower edges of which being arranged to dip slightly below the level of liquid in said container means, each of said blades including such an angle with said level of liquid to produce during rotation of the blades an annular space of substantially uniformly and tangentially projected liquid limited by a central substantially conical space void of projected liquid; and a second means of projecting said liquid and including centrifugal wheel means located in said container below the level of liquid therein and substantially coaxial with said bladed wheel, a plurality of hollow uprights radially spaced from said rotating wheel and angularly displaced with respect to each other and having re spectively inlet openings located in the paths of compressed liquid produced by said centrifugal wheel means and restricted outlet openings directed toward said blades of said rotating wheel for directing onto said blades jets of liquid at such an angle to cause the jets to scatter in form of a cone of projected liquid which fills said conical void space.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the rotating wheel means provided with blades and the centrifugal wheel for compressing the liquid towards the outlet openings of said uprights, are both driven by a common motor shaft upon which they are keyed.

4. An apparatus for uniform projection of liquids cornprising, in combination, container means adapted to be filled up to a predetermined level with liquid to be projected; a wheel mounted for rotation about an axis substantially normal to said liquid level and having a plurality of substantially radially extending blades each inclined to said axis and each having a bottom edge and a top edge; jet producing means for producing a plurality of jets arranged to impinge on said blades at such an angle so as to produce upon rotation of said wheel a cone of projected liquid coaxial with said wheel axis, said jet producing means including centrifugal wheel means located in said container below the level of liquid therein and substantially coaxial with said axis, a plurality of hollow uprights radially spaced from said bladed wheel and angularly displaced with respect to each other and having respectively inlet openings located in the paths of compressed liquid produced by said centrifugal wheel means and restricted outlet openings directed toward said blades of said heel for directing onto said blades jets of liquid; and means operatively connected to said centrifugal wheel means 'and said bladed wheel for rotating the same about said axis and in such a direction in which the bottom edges of said blades form the leading edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,870,317 Stoddard et al. Aug. 9, 1932 2,155,220 Ehret Apr. 18, 1939 2,573,067 Sandberg Oct. 30, 1951 2,881,777 Pauly Apr. 14, 1959 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR UNIFORM PROJECTION OF LIQUIDS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, CONTAINER MEANS ADAPTED TO BE FILLED UP TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL WITH LIQUID TO BE PROJECTED; A FIRST MEANS OF PROJECTING SAID LIQUID AND BEING IN THE FORM OF A ROTATING WHEEL PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING BLADES, THE LOWER EDGES OF WHICH BEING ARRANGED TO DIP SLIGHTLY BELOW THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID CONTAINER MEANS, EACH OF SAID BLADES INCLUDING SUCH AN ANGLE WITH SAID LEVEL OF LIQUID TO PRODUCE DURING ROTATION OF THE BLADES AN ANNULAR SPACE OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY AND TANGENTIALLY PROJECTED LIQUID LIMITED BY A CENTRAL SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL SPACE VOID OF PROJECTED LIQUID; AND A SECOND MEANS OF PROJECTING SAID LIQUID AND INCLUDING PUMP MEANS FOR PUMPING LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER MEANS AND JET PRODUCING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PUMPING MEANS FOR DIRECTING JETS OF LIQUID ONTO SAID BLADES OF THE ROTATING WHEEL AT SUCH AN ANGLE TO CAUSE THE JETS TO SCATTER IN THE FORM OF A CONE OF PROJECTED LIQUID WHICH FILLS SAID CONICAL VOID SPACE. 